LIMT recognition of prior learning policy

Recognition of Prior Learning Policy

1. Introduction

Recognition of Prior Learning

To recognise learner achievement, through a range of past activities they have carried out, of knowledge, skills and understanding sufficient to meet assessment criteria.

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Learning and Teaching Panel Director of Studies

LIMT principal, vice-principal, Learning and Teaching Panel

LIMT Assessment, Marking, Grading and Examination Policy LIMT Equal Opportunity Policy
LIMT Student Disability Policy
LIMT Internal Verifier, Sampling Strategies and Plans Policy

Principal
October 31 2012
Registry; faculty and senior management 30th November 2025

1.1. LIMT Recognition of Prior Learning is an assessment method that recognises that learners may not need to develop through a course of learning knowledge, skills or understanding they already possess sufficient to meet assessment requirements. Learners may have developed such knowledge, skills or understanding through a range of activities they have carried out including:

• Employment at work
• Self-employment
• Voluntary work or leisure activities
• Education or training e.g. continuing education in an adult education centre or organisation’s in-house training
• Independent or previous study in a college or university
• Other commitments e.g. involvement in a family business or caring activities

LIMT uses the term Recognition of Prior Learning to cover the process to which a number of terms refer; commonly used terms include:

• Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
• Accreditation of Prior Achievement (APA)
• Accreditation of Prior Learning and Achievement (APLA)
• Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

2. Use of RPL at LIMT
   1. 2.1.  LIMT recognises that as long as the assessment requirements of a given unit, part of a unit or qualification have been met, RPL can be used to accredit the part of a unit or qualification the learner is claiming.
   2. 2.2.  LIMT regards RPL as a valid method of enabling individuals to claim credits for units, and that properly conducted there should be no significant difference between the achievement of learning objectives or assessment criteria, or the demonstration of achievement of learning outcomes through prior learning or through formal study.
   3. 2.3.  However, LIMT requires that evidence submitted for RPL be:
   • Authentic • Verifiable • Current
   • Valid • Sufficient
   4. 2.4.  LIMT can apply RPL to learners who are transferring from one learning programme to another. The learner may have started a qualification and completed work, but not claimed or gained the credits or qualifications. LIMT will not normally use RPL to accredit a whole qualification and cannot accredit any externally assessed units.
   5. 2.5.  LIMT will follow awarding body policy, regarding use of RPL to allow for exceptional entry, or exemption from entry requirements, to a programme of study.
   6. 2.6.  LIMT sees RPL as a learner-centred process that the learner voluntarily engages in.
   7. 2.7.  LIMT sees it as the learner’s responsibility to gather and present evidence in an appropriate form to the assessor for assessment. LIMT will play a supporting and advisory role; however, the main focus of RPL is assessment. Assessment forms the focus of LIMT.
3. RPL Process at LIMT
   1. 3.1.  Initially, any learner wishing to claim RPL must meet with an advisor or mentor at LIMT. This should be an individual learner meeting the advisor or mentor; however for initial exploratory meetings a small group may meet with an advisor or mentor. LIMT will maintain separation of the role of assessor from that of advisor or mentor.
   2. 3.2.  The learner must consider their prior achievement, reflect on the learning involved and identify learning relevant to the learning outcomes of the qualification claimed under RPL.

3. 3.3.  Initially the learner should provide a C.V., portfolio of practical work or selective summary autobiographical account of relevant learning.
4. 3.4.  LIMT must register learners as involved in RPL as soon as the learner starts formally to gather evidence
5. 3.5.  LIMT will provide the learner with learning outcomes and assessment criteria of the relevant awarding body unit. The LIMT mentor or advisor will explain the learning outcomes and assessment criteria of the awarding body units. In particular, the mentor or advisor will focus on the learning outcomes and assessment criteria associated with the unit(s) the learner wishes to claim. LIMT will present examples of how to present evidence for a claim for RPL (see appendix 1)
6. 3.6.  LIMT will provide guidance on the evidence that will enable the learner to successfully demonstrate that they have achieved the standards required. The mentor or advisor will work with the learner to create an action plan.
7. 3.7.  The learner must use LIMT pro-forma (see appendices 2 and 3) to create a portfolio of evidence in support of their claim. The portfolio should include:

• a CV or resume
• Summary learning outcomes and assessment criteria claimed
• A commentary by the learner identifying her or his claimed prior achievement against awarding body learning outcomes and assessment criteria
• Full evidence against each assessment criteria claimed (appendix 2) including
• Witness testimony where needed (appendix 3). Failure to use the appropriate LIMT pro-forma could invalidate the process.

4. LIMT Assessment of the RPL Evidence Portfolio
4.1. The LIMT assessor will examine the portfolio of evidence for:

• Authenticity (how much it represents the candidate’s own, independent work)
• Validity (accuracy of representation of the learner’s achievement)
• Reliability (consistency, dependability, verifiability)
• Currency (whether it is recent enough to meet the assessment criteria)
• Relevance (applicability to the standards)
• Sufficiency (how well it represents the breadth and quality of the standards to which it is claimed to apply) (appendix 1, below).
  2. 4.2.  If the LIMT assessor is not satisfied that the evidence submitted meets these criteria, LIMT will seek evidence of additional quality from the learner.
  3. 4.3.  Learners may present a small amount of complex evidence to demonstrate achievement claimed against a number of unit assessment requirements. If this is the case, the learner must map clearly the evidence against the unit assessment requirements to prevent ambiguity (see appendix 2)
  4. 4.4.  LIMT demands RPLS students face standards identical to those demanded of other learners.
  5. 4.5.  Units draw on a wide knowledge and/or understanding. Learners claiming RPL must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the unit, or part thereof, they are

claiming. Learners claiming RPL may be tested to ensure they possess the knowledge and/or understanding that a unit requires. Often LIMT may use oral, aural, written or demonstration testing.

6. 4.6.  A learner claiming RPL will need to take an assessment where the learner is unable to produce evidence e.g. where an employer fails to respond to a request for witness. If the learner’s evidence meets part only of the requirements, arrangements must be made for additional learning and assessment to cover the remaining unfulfilled requirements.
7. 4.7.  Subject to LIMT policy (see related documents above), the mentor/advisor must spend sufficient time to enable the learner to collect and compile the evidence necessary to support the claim for RPL. The mentor/advisor and assessor must record fully the time spent with the learner claiming RPL and the decisions taken. The centre’s internal verification and standardisation processes will be applied to these record documents. These records must be available for external verification, so that the awarding body will be able to use their policy and procedures to understand that the relevant LIMT assessment decisions are based on the process of RPL.

Useful Contacts:

Director of Studies
Email: farhan@limt.co.uk

Appendix 1 LIMT Assessment of Portfolio Evidence for RPL

Learner Evidence LIMT Assessment of Portfolio Evidence

CV: covering date, duration, knowledge, skills, QCF level of work completed, degree of supervision; placed in context according to nature, size or complexity of workplace.	Provides overview of the learner’s prior career and learning CV authentication is necessary
Witness testimonial: learner will be responsible for identifying appropriate witnesses from inside or outside a workplace, their position in organisation where appropriate and relationship to the learner and the learner’s prior learning achievement. The learner must use LIMT pro- forma to document witness testimonials.	The assessor must evaluate credibility and currency of witness testimonials.
Physical Evidence of Learning: e.g. prototypes, ‘mock-ups’ computer program, design specifications, published materials, policy or planning documents and other artefacts or work products, completed assignments demonstrating knowledge, understanding, skills and QCF level of achievement. The learner must provide proof of the degree to which the evidence is the learner’s independent work. Witness testimony may be needed as proof of such independence.	The assessor must evaluate statements of authenticity, which must accompany the material presented. Photographic evidence may be presented where presentation of the actual product is difficult. Appropriate authentication must be provided.
Previous Accreditation, e.g. licences or certification of prior training. The learner must provide details of content and how knowledge, understanding and skills were developed and applied.	The assessor must evaluate the statements of authenticity, which must accompany the documents presented. The assessor must evaluate the currency of documents and their relevance to unit(s) or parts thereof, claimed by RFL.
Web-based documents: websites, blogs, virtual learning environment data, e-portfolios, podcasts). The learner should cross-reference the learning with the learning objectives and learning outcomes of the qualification being claimed by RFL.	The assessor must evaluate the statements of authenticity, which must accompany the documents presented. The assessor must evaluate the currency of documents and their relevance to unit(s) or parts thereof, claimed by RFL. The assessor may use interview or formal testing of the learner on the knowledge claimed.
Other documents in support: log books, diaries (including electronic versions), job descriptions and job specifications, references, performance observation; brochures, handouts; annotated photographs; case studies. The learner should cross-reference the learning with the learning objectives and learning outcomes of the qualification being claimed by RFL.	The assessor must evaluate the statements of authenticity, which must accompany the documents presented. The assessor must evaluate the currency of documents and their relevance to unit(s) or parts thereof, claimed by RFL. The assessor may use interview or formal testing of the learner on the knowledge claimed.

Appendix 2 LIMT RPL Mapping Grid

The learner claiming RPL should complete this form for each unit or part thereof for which the learner is claiming RPL. The learner should ensure this form is inserted in the evidence portfolio.

Learner Name:

Learner LIMT Identification: Learner ATHE Identification:

Unit Title for which RPL claim is made:

London Institute of Management and Technology

Qualification Title and QCF Level:

Awarding Body Centre Number:

LIMT address: Suite 7, Cranbrook House 61 Cranbrook Road ILFORD IG1 4PG

Unit Learning & Assessment Requirements: State learning outcome(s) and assessment criteria related to the claim for RPL

Title of Evidence Presented

Reference Number of Evidence from Portfolio:

Appendix 3 Witness Testimony

Learner Name:

Learner LIMT Identification:

Reference Number for Evidence Portfolio:

Qualification Title and QCF Level:

Unit Title to which witness testimony relates:

Unit Learning & Assessment Requirements to which witness testimony relates:

Witness status, designation or relationship to learner:

Witness Testimony (please continue on a separate sheet as required):

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Witnessdeclaration:Iconfirmthelearner’sevidenceref:…………… isauthenticandaccurate Datetestimonysubmitted: …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Witness Signature: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Assessor Signature: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………